Preface

The Ohio State University aspires to become one of the world's great
public research and teaching universities. This Academic Plan is the initial
roadmap for the journey to academic excellence. With few exceptions, we
expect the initiatives identified herein to be realized in the next five
years. At the same time, implementation of this plan will be a continuing
process, and the pace at which we progress will depend upon a number of
circumstances, including the availability of financial resources.

The plan is divided into the following primary sections:

Vision. Our vision for the future of The Ohio State University;

Setting the Stage. A candid assessment of our current position, strengths,
and weaknesses;

Strategies and Initiatives. Six core strategies and 14 initiatives
to help achieve academic excellence and move us substantially toward
our overarching goal;

Facilitating Actions. Additional changes that are necessary to release
the full creativity of the University and successfully implement the
strategies and initiatives;

Continuing activities. A brief summary of continuing activities that,
while extremely important, are not part of this plan;

Resources. A strategy to acquire the resources necessary to support
this plan; and

Scorecard. Benchmarks we will regularly consult to monitor our progress.